Stephanie Halderman teaches Pregnancy & Birthing at the Acupressure Institute. She graduated from the Institute's 150-hour program in 1999, and continued her acupressure training at the Institute by specializing in Women's Health and Emotional Balancing. She also studied Reiki for ten years, but she primarily uses Jin Shin and Table Shiatsu in her private practice.

Intuition for Creating a Healing Career
     Stephanie finished EMT school, and took all the prerequisites for paramedic school, however by the time she finished, the law changed and she was barred from getting an ambulance license due to her Type 1 Diabetes. She had to reconstruct her life by working in hospitals, emergency rooms and dispatching for 911. Stephanie considered nursing school, but was looking for a different model of healing. She asked the universe what she was supposed to do and she "literally heard a voice in her head say: acupressure." The physical therapy center was there for 15 or so years before we merged rather than coming to my neighborhood. It came into my life and path.

Developing a Private Practice
     Stephanie started by trading with friends, who did Reiki and massage and did not charge very much, $45 a session if clients bought two sessions. She shared an office with two other people for a couple of years. She believes that instead of advertising, what works best is to make contacts with people in person. For example, once a year she teaches a free class at mother's groups and then has her name listed on their websites for her pre-natal work. She also sees twenty-five people a week in her yoga classes, a great source of her clients.

Stephanie has tried several forms of advertising. Ads keep your name in people's consciousness so that when they need you they will call, but the response is usually pretty limited. She puts a vibration in the cards she puts up: "I put some business cards out about a week ago and hadn't gotten many calls yet. I was driving to the Institute and realized I had never put a conscious vibration into those business cards. As I was driving I did a quick one-minute, envisioning a vibration of light coming out of the cards. Later, I checked my voice mail and sure enough, there are messages from the cards I put out."

Acupressure as a Way of Life
     For Stephanie, acupressure is a blessing, a way of serving others that gives her life great purpose. Stephanie gives generously from her heart in her private practice, which brings her tremendous happiness. Acupressure has also supported Stephanie to manage her diabetes. "The spirit of my acupressure practice is a calling I feel in my body and the universe continues to provide me with more clients and opportunities."

In the process of receiving private sessions and working on her issues, Stephanie discovered that regular counseling did not work unless she combined it with bodywork. She found touch to be profound somatic element for bringing resolution in her life. Although some of her formative experiences were challenging, she is grateful for the lessons she learned because it led her to the healing path she is on now.